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Veggie Grill Raises $22 Million to Take Vegan Food All Across the Country!

For most people, the word fast food means nothing but unhealthy, super greasy fare. Fast food is saved for long car rides where you have no other options and let’s be honest, it might taste great (thanks to the magic salt to fat ratio), but we all know how bad it is for our health – not to mention, it’s really not the best bet for the planet either. But the world of fast food as we know it is changing.

Thanks to the popularity of Veggie Grill, this West Coast chain has received a new $22 million infusion of capital from investors. According to Steve Heeley, Veggie Grill’s CEO, the funding is earmarked for growth to help the 28-unit chain double in size within three years. That’s right – Veggie Grill has plans to expand into the Midwest and East Coast!

While Heeley tells Nation’s Restaurant News that they are still evaluating markets for their new stores (they’re also looking to make size of their stores more compact to be able to get into more urban centers), the mass appeal of Veggie Grill remains apparent. Heeley shares they’re getting requests from non-conventional places to set up shop, specifically airports and college campuses. “We’re getting universities approaching us,” said Heeley. “The demand for veggie-based food is really accelerating, so they’re getting feedback from students and faculty that they want not just healthy concepts but more specifically veggie-based food.” This just further speaks to the fact that no matter where they might be, consumers want better options. Period.

Frankly, people are tired of having to sacrifice quality and health when they eat on the go, and let’s be honest, many of us eat most meals on the go these days. Veggie Grill is perfectly poised to dominate the rising health, fast-casual dining space and we can predict that they will hardly be alone in this. We have seen chains like Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and White Castle incorporate more vegan options into their menus and as consumers learn more about how beneficial plant-based eating is, this trend is only set to increase.

“As Americans learn more about how food is directly tied to our health and well-being, as well as the health of the planet, they are seeking better options, namely less meat, and more plant-based foods,” said Nil Zacharias, Co-Founder of One Green Planet. “This explains the rise of meatless and dairy-free options in grocery stores, the proliferation of veggie options in fast food chains, as well as a growing interest in clean, plant-based sources of protein and vegan cooking. The demand is there across the country and now restaurant chains like Veggie Grill are finally here to meet it.”

Veggie Grill has grown exponentially since they launched in 2006 and as consumers continue to show interest, investors will continue to see the enormous opportunity in vegan food. We don’t think it is too far off to say that vegan fast food is the future. For the sake of health, animal well-being, and the future of the planet, we certainly hope so.

The USDA announced plans to possibly begin planned inspections of facilities that use animals, as opposed to the typical unannounced visits they conduct that give a far more accurate assessment of the conditions and practices in such facilities.

Monmouth Beach, New Jersey has unanimously voted to implement a ban on single-use plastic bags, straws, food containers, and takeout Styrofoam boxes in the shore town. The ordinance was introduced last month and will take effect on June 1, 2018, when, as activists emphasize, the comprehensive plan to try and eliminate plastic waste will start benefiting one of the town’s most important assets, the beach.

The Missouri Senate recently passed an omnibus bill which forbids plant-based meat substitutes and lab-grown products from being labeled using the word “meat.” If this bill is signed into law by Governor Eric Greitens, Missouri will become the first state to have such legislation.

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9 comments on “Veggie Grill Raises $22 Million to Take Vegan Food All Across the Country!”

This is great but I am disappointed in the author. How is it that in this whole article there is not a single reference to the web site of Veggie Grill or any corporate link to it? https://www.veggiegrill.com/locations.html